Shangyuque

Chapter 196 Those who pursue the Dao, though they die nine times, will not regret it!
Someone is definitely trying to steal the ancestral master's Dao fruit!

The patriarch has been preparing for the Golden Elixir for so long, and there are many things that outsiders don't know. Can't Wang Yulou see that clearly?
Starting from Qingxifang, beneath Wang Yulou's gradual ascent, there is another layer of path leading him into the core circle of the Mangxiang forces.

In this process, Wang Yulou was deeply involved in the major developments at several key junctures in the patriarch's attainment of the Golden Elixir.

At the Qingxi Grand Gathering, the disciples of the Patriarch will preside over the tour of the Hall of Merit to distribute blessings and merits.

The relationship between the Western Sea Design Master and the Divine Light was one of initial alliance followed by betrayal. Several involved parties, including Zhou Fujiao, Mu Chunze, Jinshan, and Li Haikuo, had dealings with Wang Yulou.

Zhou Fujiao is Wang Yulou's master, Mu Chunze is Wang Yulou's father-in-law, Jinshan is Wang Yulou's respected ancestor, and Li Haikuo is a close friend that Wang Yulou has been cultivating despite their age difference.

In the bloody millstone of the two great battles, Wang Yulou took the initiative to sit in the position of millstone puller, thus bringing out the prestige of Wang Yuque of the Mangxiang lineage. If he didn't sit, there would be plenty of others who would. The opportunity was right here, and he would take it even if he knew it was a double-edged sword.

At least, Wang Yulou, who played the role of the miller, had the ability to provide some protection to those around him, which in itself was a huge reward.

If this position were given to someone like Yan Keyi or Guo Baichi, the one sent to the Dragon Tiger Camp to devise a pledge of allegiance would likely be Wang Rongjiang or Wang Rongsheng.

In short, Wang Yulou was deeply involved in the process of the patriarch attaining the Golden Core, so he was very certain that the Heavenly Serpent Sect's fierce attack over the past fifty years had serious problems.

From the perspective of the Water Immortal, all the demon gods and immortals are the cream of the crop, legendary beings.

Therefore, neither is the Heavenly Serpent an idiot, nor is the Frog King, who joined forces with Zhuzhao to interfere with Mangxiang's initiation of the Immortal Alliance's internal war.

Does that mean the entire Heavenly Serpent Sect has gone mad and wants its disciples to die in vain?

"No, that's not it," Wang Yulou guessed. "It's probably because the patriarch, the conservative faction of the Immortal Alliance behind the patriarch, or some other force he doesn't know about have some kind of deal with the Heavenly Serpent."

This is why the Heavenly Serpent Sect launched a fierce attack for fifty years, actively pushing the efficiency of their flesh-and-blood grinding wheel to its maximum.

The great counterattack launched under the orders of the Patriarch and Zhuzhao was only just beginning; the Patriarch's twenty Purple Mansion Cakes were less than halfway complete.

In this situation, it is certainly possible for the Patriarch to achieve the Golden Core ahead of everyone's expectations, but it is also unlikely that the Patriarch will achieve the Golden Core—objectively, it is far from the time when he is fully or relatively ready to achieve the Golden Core.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Yuque."

No one opened Li Haikuo's third eye, so he lacked some crucial information. He genuinely believed that this was the patriarch proving the Golden Elixir.

As for why we congratulate Yulou, it's actually not complicated.

The patriarch's golden elixir had been brewing for so long. The upheaval in the Western Sea, the disputes on the Immortal Platform, and many other events within the sect all revealed that the patriarch's golden elixir had an extremely high success rate.

If the founder attains enlightenment, Wang Yuque, who shone brightly in the great war between the two sects, will naturally be able to ascend to heaven as well.

Therefore, even if Li Haikuo is a Purple Mansion cultivator, it would be reasonable for him to address him as "Fellow Daoist Yuque" and say "Congratulations."

Ultimately, even if the patriarch were to die halfway through his journey and be struck down by a heavenly tribulation, Old Li wouldn't actually suffer any real loss.

"What is there to be happy about, Master? This time, it's probably not that the Patriarch is proving the Golden Core, but that someone is trying to seize the Dao Fruit from him!"

Wang Yulou said with a wry smile that he was actually showing off his value to Lao Li by saying that.

A Foundation Establishment stage weapon refiner can help the Purple Mansion Great Refinement Master cultivate magic weapons. An Ning has done this many times before, as her Dao of Refinement has a lot of experience in assisting in the refinement of magic weapons.

But Old Li's initiative to seek Wang Yulou's help in refining his natal magic weapon was not just because he valued Wang Yulou's experience and abilities, but more so as a way to win him over.

The reason is simple: the ratio of high-level Foundation Establishment weapon refiners to Foundation Establishment cultivators is higher than that of Qi Refining stage weapon refiners to Qi Refining cultivators, and this is also due to lifespan.

In this situation, Li Haikuo actually had many options. Taking the initiative to meet Wang Yulou and invite him would be giving Wang Yulou face and also giving their relationship a chance to develop further.

Although everyone is an egoist, doing more things that benefit both parties can make them good partners.

Wang Yulou coveted Li Haikuo, and Li Haikuo coveted Wang Yulou; they both wanted to take their relationship to the next level.

Therefore, once Wang Yulou realized that the fact that someone had seized the Dao Fruit would eventually be known, he immediately sold a small bargaining chip to show Old Li his 'extraordinary' abilities.

"The Dao-Seizing Fruit?"

Master Haikuo was startled by Wang Yulou's assertion. After a moment's thought, he asked a question.

"The one on the east side?"

This was a coded question that only intelligent people could understand, which was more in line with the level of the two of them. Wang Yulou certainly knew that the east side referred to Chiming Mountain, which was located east of Lingshan, the main peak of Hongdengzhao.

Chiming is dead; the master of Chiming Spirit Mountain is Fuyan.

"Impossible. Senior Brother Lingxiu has already sent the first batch of disciples to the front lines."

If that person shows himself now, he's doomed; he can't possibly move.

Moreover, the patriarch's Dao fruit is very special; even if he wanted to steal it, he couldn't!

Note that it is a fact that internal struggles are more brutal than external struggles. External struggles are unlikely to directly affect the internal interest structure of other major powers, but internal struggles can.

Therefore, in the event of internal strife, even if the second-in-command has great power, there is still a possibility of death.

If Fuyan dares to make a move now, Mangxiang is truly willing and capable of wiping it out bit by bit.

When Wang Yulou considered that the time was not yet right for Mang Xiang to prove himself, he did not consider that Fu Yan had not yet been executed. This was because he was certain that Fu Yan was not an idiot and would not walk into the line of fire on his own.

As a disciple of the Crimson Bright Immortal Venerable, Fu Yan's information was obviously more comprehensive than that of the clueless Li Haikuo. It was impossible for him not to know the true value of the first-ever Golden Core Mangxiang of the New Method.

"Hmm? The Patriarch's Dao Fruit is quite special? Is there any explanation for this?"

Li Haikuo's gaze towards Wang Yulou had changed.

From Wang Yulou's initial judgment that someone was trying to steal the Patriarch's Dao Fruit, to his current confident conclusion that it was not Fuyan who was stealing it, and his explicit statement that "the Patriarch's Dao Fruit is very special."

All of this shows that Wang Yulou knew just as much as him—where did he get all this information from?
Or was it that the patriarch truly trusted Wang Yulou so much?

No, it could also be Xuanzhuan Xinzhong Wang Yulou. Yan Keli has already opened his Purple Mansion, but Wang Jingyi has not. That's right, it should be Xuanzhuan.

However.
Wang Yulou smiled slightly and said.

“Master, let’s talk somewhere else. Mingdu’s cousin asked Baibaofang to bring her a batch of misty sea tea, a specialty from Qunqingyuan. The taste is quite unusual.”

Li Haikuo's question immediately received a concrete answer—Jinshan was Wang Yulou's beloved Jinshan Patriarch.
In fact, Wang Yulou didn't say anything or answer anything; it was all Li Haikuo's imagination, wasn't it?

But this ambiguous and unclear boundary is exactly what Li Haikuo is most familiar with. At least for now, he understands and believes that Xiao Wang has received support and attention from Kingsoft.

"Yes, I am indeed a bit confused. Drinking tea can help calm me down."

"Yu Lou, I'm worried. What if someone steals the Ancestral Master's Dao Fruit? Then we'll be in trouble."

As Old Li and Wang Yulou walked deeper into the Jade Palace, he sighed helplessly.

What he was thinking was that Xiao Wang was indeed very good at social maneuvering, with Mang Xiang as his backer in the Red Lantern Gang and Jin Shan as his backer in the Immortal Alliance.

Jinshan is indeed not a celestial being.

However, every single one of the Purple Mansions who could become the Dragon Tiger True Person of the West Sea was at the peak of the Purple Mansion realm.

His strength is undoubtedly very high; in terms of specific level, he might only be slightly inferior to Qiu Mile, the top disciple of Qingrui Sect.

That's why Kingsoft dared to shift the blame in front of Qingrui back then.

What kind of being is Qiu Maitreya?
The ancient Purple Palace, dating back ten thousand years, is from the same era as the patriarch!

Old Li, as the gatekeeper who once worked with Jinshan in the West Sea, was very clear about these things.

Therefore, Li Haikuo chose to further befriend Wang Yulou and directly extended an invitation to confirm their comradeship, a relationship that would be troublesome for both of them.

"Yes, but you're overthinking it, Master. We can all see that someone is trying to steal the Dao Fruit from the Patriarch. Didn't the Patriarch foresee this?"

Wang Yulou accepted Lao Li's invitation to upgrade their relationship and reassured Lao Li, but still did not answer why the patriarch's Dao fruit was special.

As for whether the patriarch had foreseen that someone would try to steal his Golden Core and Dao Fruit.

This question is unnecessary.

If a monstrous old beast like the patriarch couldn't even think of this step, why would Wang Yulou keep shouting "Mang Xiang, loyalty" every day?
The changes in the world were noticeable to anyone at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage. After realizing something was wrong, Guo Chengtai and the others rushed to the Jade Palace to protect Wang Yulou, but seeing Yulou with Li Haikuo, they dared not approach.

"You can go about your business as usual. Nothing will happen. The war will continue as usual."

Upon hearing Wang Yulou's explanation, Li Haikuo's eyes flickered.

"Yu Lou, things are progressing well on the northern front, but we still need your continued support to maintain it."

Aside from everything else, the two Red Pivot Formations you supported this time had a significant effect, allowing the Western Sea cultivators to directly enter the northern front and catching the Valley God Sect off guard.

I'm not afraid to tell you this, but our Miaofeng Mountain first fought with Huishan Prefecture, and then with Gushen Sect, which inherited Huishan Prefecture. The enmity between the two sides has lasted for more than a thousand years.

It's fair to say that everyone from the disciples on the front lines to the elders within the sect, and even just a few of us, is deeply grateful for your help.

Xiao Wang, tell me, what kind of reward do you want?
Wang Yulou and Lao Li had worked together before. When Wang Yulou left Xihai to return to his sect, Jinshan and Lao Li gave him a generous gift, and Wang Yulou reciprocated by giving Lao Li 200,000 spirit stones.

So, when Lao Li gave him this hint, Wang Yulou didn't hesitate at all and immediately held up his hand, making a seven.

"Is it a little less?"

Li Haikuo frowned slightly. Seven hundred thousand spirit stones, and he could only get a kickback of two hundred thousand at most, which was really too little.

Given Wang Yulou's role in the matter, he could easily have earned two million.

It's important to know that this major victory on the northern front was a resounding triumph, a victory that left the Frog King croaking wildly at the Valley God Technique.

Given the speed and individualized power of cultivators, Miaofeng Mountain swallowed up a thousand miles of territory, roughly the size of two Southern Ye Kingdoms, not long after the fall of the northern frontier.

This vast territory is filled with all sorts of resources, spiritual objects, and spirit stone mines.

Even under a general and extensive wartime rule, the output in a single year would exceed one million spirit stones.

Of course, Miaofeng Mountain needs to make a great effort to continue to hold onto these territories, so it's not fair to say that just because it produces one million spirit stones a year, Wang Yulou will demand a price of ten million spirit stones.

Old Li's target price is two million, which seems to represent only two years of output.

However, considering the ever-changing battle lines and the cost of defending Miaofeng Mountain, this price is quite high.

"Seven hundred, split 30/70."

Wang Yulou smiled and shook his head, then quoted a price that made Old Li's teeth ache, startling Old Li into quickly saying...

"Yu Lou, this is too much!"

Seeing that Wang Yulou had withdrawn his hand, Old Li quickly added.

"Of course, given our relationship, I'm willing to help you get it done, but I'm not the only True Person in the sect, so it's not easy."

Mingdu, who had been summoned by Wang Yulou, seemed not to have heard what the two men were talking about, and simply skillfully brewed tea for them.

Qunqing Plain is a very special place, as the Red Lantern Sect is located on the plain.

While Qunqingyuan is said to be a "yuan" (原), the "qunqing" in its name refers to endless mountains.

Endless mountains stretch across the land, forming a vast wilderness composed of mountains.

On that plain, extraordinary cultivators were born, who spearheaded the establishment of the Immortal Alliance.

Similarly, the unique products of the mountains are also diverse and abundant.

Wuhai tea is one of them. Under the stimulation of the spiritual spring, Wuhai tea releases its unique image of a misty sea in the tea soup.

Like a dream, sparkling with starlight, it's as if the Milky Way has been contained in a cup.

After drinking the Milky Way in one gulp, Wang Yulou slowly spoke.

"The northern border of the Heavenly Serpent Sect is the territory of the Frog King."

The Melon Master, who led the war against the Heavenly Serpent Sect, was a subordinate of the Frog King.

This time, Miaofeng Mountain has carved out a vast area in northern Xinjiang; it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

There were reasons for choosing the northern front for the counterattack; there were far too many reasons.

The people on the northern front, from Li Haikuo to Kong Gu, then to Senior Sister Lin, and then to the Xihai Qibing who are closest to the northern front, are all crucial.

Mutual trust, efficiency, and mutual benefit—many factors contributed to this decision.

Furthermore, the conflict between Miaofeng Mountain and Gushen Sect, as well as the previous Huishan Prefecture of Gushen Sect, had already escalated significantly.

Finally, there was this bizarre battle.

The Heavenly Serpent Sect was founded by the Heavenly Serpent, but the great war was dominated by the Frog Emperor's lineage, with Gua Zhenren even taking the initiative to charge into battle and slaughter.

Many things are one thing when viewed in isolation, but quite another when viewed in context.

If the Patriarch and the Heavenly Serpent really had a deal, then using the great battle to suppress the Frog King on the northern front would be in the interests of Miaofeng Mountain, the Heavenly Serpent, and the Patriarch.

Because Miaofeng Mountain was an ally of the patriarch within the sect, and the Heavenly Serpent was an ally of the patriarch on his path to enlightenment.

With the interests of both allies taken care of by Wang Yulou's skillful handling, the patriarch would naturally consider Wang Yulou 'capable'.

"The situation is good for now, but it will be troublesome once the Heavenly Serpent Sect starts supporting the Valley God Sect's counterattack."

Old Li smiled wryly, saying he truly dared not accept the reward of seven million spirit stones.
What does seven million spirit stones mean?
The ancient method of creating a purple palace can even produce the concept of several figures!
It's the concept of being able to repay one-fifth of the compensation owed to Qi Refining cultivators who died in battle due to the red light!
It's the concept of being able to gather three hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators!

As Wang Yulou's status rises, his appetite grows ever larger; he really dares to ask for seven million.

"I will fully support you in holding on, with all my might."

Wang Yulou escalated the conflict. With the two major battles taking place thousands of miles apart, it didn't matter where the blood and gore mills were located; if they continued to operate on the northern front for a long time, it would truly be a matter of a single word from him.

"Who knows when the war will end? Jade Pavilion, people have already started vying for the Ancestral Master's Dao Fruits. The Ancestral Master will accelerate his progress even further," Old Li said.

Kim Myung-do, who was standing to the side, gasped and his movements as he poured tea trembled.

"So I only want seven million. Go back and talk to Master Kongkong. Brother Haikuo, have some tea."

Wang Yulou cannot possibly take on everything or handle everything. Miaofeng Mountain has already won a major victory, so Xiao Wang has the right to make demands.

Moreover, the lion's share of the seven million should ultimately go to the patriarch. Many things are tacitly understood by everyone. If the patriarch's share is in place, he can support Miaofeng Mountain to continue fighting.

The two chatted for a long time, discussing Wang Yulou's assistance to Li Haikuo in refining his natal magic weapon.

Old Li's weapon-refining skills are practically nonexistent, but the natal magic weapon he plans to refine is quite simple. After opening his Purple Mansion for so many years, he has improved a lot, so he plans to refine it himself.

"I cultivate the Cave Heaven Method, and my natal magic weapon should ideally be of the Primordial Chaos type, but I'm afraid my cultivation level isn't high enough at the beginning."

Therefore, I plan to refine one fire-attribute spirit bead for now, and gradually collect five spirit beads in the future.”

Because of the many shocks that had already occurred, Wang Yulou's involvement in the crafting of magical artifacts no longer surprised Jin Mingdu.

My husband is like this; he is destined to be a strong man who will accomplish extraordinary feats.

Among ritual implements, bead-shaped implements are at the very bottom of the hierarchy of contempt.

Among magical artifacts, bead-shaped artifacts have no disadvantages.

Among magical artifacts, collecting five bead-shaped artifacts to achieve the Five Elements Mixed Origin is the simplest way to create a Mixed Origin artifact. It is not only not inferior, but also a high-cost-performance option.

"If a magic weapon is made from a sixth-grade White Bone Ghost Fire Mushroom, it probably wouldn't even be able to withstand a powerful offensive spiritual weapon, right?" Wang Yulou reminded him.

Old Li's magic weapon is really too cost-effective. The White Bone Ghost Fire Mushroom was originally used for alchemy, but he used it as a material for a magic weapon, which is very ingenious.

"Suitable spiritual materials are hard to find. The White Bone Ghost Fire Mushroom has both fire and wood properties, so it's alright. I'll use it for now, and I can gradually replace it after I collect all five elemental spirit beads in the future."

A natal magic weapon can be continuously refined. As long as the cultivator doesn't falter, it's difficult for the magic weapon to explode during the refinement process; at most, it will only slightly affect the cultivator's condition.

After seeing Old Li off, Wang Yulou didn't dare to delay and immediately sent out more than a dozen command tokens.

Send it to Wangjiashan to inform the clan members that the great battle may escalate and that preparations need to be made in advance for a large number of clan members to participate in the war.

How could the Patriarch not continue to accelerate his progress after his Dao Fruit was stolen?
The token sent to the Western Sea was mainly to remind Zheng Yan that various industries were beginning to shrink, with peripheral ones being sold off and only a few core ones kept to recoup spirit stones.

The token sent to Lotus Immortal City was addressed to Gu Qilang, primarily to Qi Yuan Zhenren, who was behind Gu Qilang, inquiring about who had stolen the ancestral master's Dao fruit.

Anyone could be involved in any situation, and the fastest and cheapest way to get information is still to contact the Gu family.

Of course, he could ask other masters within the faction, such as Xuan Zhuan, but Wang Yulou didn't want his ambitions to appear too great—they were already quite large, and couldn't be any bigger.

Two tokens were sent to the Red Lantern Police.

Firstly, inquire about the situation within the Jingyi Ancestor's clan, specifically how the Ancestor and the True Persons of those factions reacted after the Ancestor's Dao Fruit was stolen.

Secondly, urge that bastard Zou Tianxing to do his job properly and act like a decent person, and not to obstruct the appointment of meritorious cultivators on the front lines.

The other orders were used to reassure the key figures on the front lines, telling them to focus on their work and not to overthink things.

Wang Yuque is not Wang Yulou.

Wang Yulou is an individual who cultivates immortality.

Wang Yuque is a concrete symbol of a leader; he is very busy.

When Li Haikuo left, Jin Mingdu wanted to talk to Wang Yulou. She was really curious, but as Wang Yulou sent out command tokens one after another, her burning curiosity quickly turned into icy coldness.

Something's wrong, this is very serious!

"What happened?"

Mingdu's cultivation level is only at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, so he cannot perceive the changes in the world.

"Someone is trying to steal the ancestral master's Dao fruit."

Wang Yulou held the beauty in his arms and said softly.

The position of Golden Core is right there.

The patriarch was the first person in the world to attain the Golden Elixir through the new method of Purple Mansion, and he had many competitors.

There might not be a hundred people, but there are definitely a few dozen.

Kingsoft is one of them.

Qiu Mile is one of them. Gua Zhenren, who led the great war against the Heavenly Serpent Sect, is another.

The smoke illuminated by the red light is also there.

The Purple-Bearded General of Fulong Temple is also one.

Master Qiyuan is probably still lacking.

Among the Purple Mansions that Wang Yulou knew of, there were already so many who might be vying for the Patriarch's Dao Fruit; there were many more he didn't know about.

The hurdle of the patriarch is not easy to overcome.

But just as Wang Yu'an said, Wang Yulou was already too closely tied to the patriarch, and could only believe that the patriarch had made some preparations.

Moreover, Bai Li must have thought of this as well, but she still believed that the patriarch would win.

Wang Yulou believed in his master and even more in Xiaoyu, so he wasn't too worried.

Of course, necessary preparations still need to be made, which is why he was busy issuing the command.

"Can the position of Golden Core cultivator still be snatched?"

"Of course, of course, the world is too crowded. You'll feel it when you reach the peak of Foundation Establishment."

This batch of Fog Sea Tea was delivered by someone sent by Lao Huang.

But what you don't know is that Lao Huang has actually given up on the path, or more accurately, given up on taking it any further.

The reason was that he felt the crowding of the world and realized he might not have a chance to make it to the top.

Anthony Wong ultimately got a safe exit and didn't become a victim.

To be able to sail the rivers and lakes in this chaotic world opened up by the patriarch and find a peaceful night's rest—how could that not be a blessing from the patriarch?
"Yu Lou, you won't give up, will you?"

Leaning against Yulou's chest, Mingdu asked with a hint of longing.

She longed for that feeling of importance, and desperately wanted Wang Yulou to give her that feeling.

That's why she stood so firmly by Wang Yulou's side.

Feelings are certainly one aspect, but interests and future possibilities are also very important.

In this rotten world, those who are love-struck or naive fools may not even qualify to become consumables; they will be eliminated by the rules before they even reach the Foundation Establishment stage.

Yun Shu is a case in point. Decades have passed, and she is still in the Western Sea, not even having achieved Foundation Establishment.

The Mo family didn't give her a chance. Master Hansong liked her, but he didn't want her to bring risks to the Mo family.

Yun Shu isn't love-struck, nor is she stupid; it's just that she possesses a kindness that doesn't match her abilities, and she displays it too obviously.

That alone is enough to close the door.

"Of course, chaos is a good thing. I believe the patriarch will win."

From Qingrui to Tianshe to Zhuzhao, so many people supported him.

If he still can't win, then neither of us needs to continue our cultivation.
-
The red lanterns illuminated the mountain gate. The Foundation Establishment cultivators who had returned to their sect with the Wang Yuque tokens to deliver the message dared not be negligent in the slightest. As soon as they entered the mountain gate, they activated the two tokens.

One flew towards the main peak, and the other flew towards Mangxiang Mountain.

Although Mang Xiang's Dao Fruit is being stolen, this obviously has nothing to do with Zou Tianxing.

In fact, it's a good thing for him, so he's in high spirits today.

Inside Zou Tianxing's residence, he was enjoying himself with a female cultivator.

As he was fully engaged in his pursuit, he became a subordinate of the sect leader.

With a sweep of his divine sense, Zou Tianxing noticed the person outside the formation. He didn't want to pay attention to them, as he was busy.

But upon seeing the token in the man's hand, he quickly pulled up his pants and took the token brought by his subordinate.

This matter has far-reaching implications, and 100,000 cultivators are eagerly awaiting its resolution; it is truly the most pressing matter at hand.

Yu Lou was well aware of the difficulties of being the sect leader and tried to mediate between the various factions, but there were always times when things were urgent.
Otherwise, Hongdengzhao Xihai Bieyuan, Xishan Zong, and Qihuofang are also acceptable.

The current counter-offensive momentum is excellent, and our troops are invincible wherever they go. It is the perfect time to pursue the fleeing enemy and drive them back to the front. We must not let trivial matters of rewarding merit affect the front lines.

Brother Tianxing, I have said all I need to say. I hope you will consider it carefully.

Respectfully presented by the Jade Palace.

Zou Tianxing's face turned black as he crushed the token Wang Yulou had given him.

That bastard Wang Yulou, with just a letter, used both soft and hard tactics, to pressure Zou Tianxing into acting in Wang Yulou's best interests.

It sounds impressive, but it's all bullshit and disgusting.

Yes, Wang Yulou is right, he makes a lot of sense.

But if everyone had the right to say what they were right, there wouldn't be so many disputes in the world.

The ideology is mostly used to fool idiots; the way of doing things is based on interests, not on being bound by debate.

Zou Tianxing pondered for a moment and then said to his subordinate.

"Help me arrange to meet Yan Kexin and have him come here. Tell him I have something to discuss."

"Yan Kexin?"

The subordinate felt like he had misheard and checked again.

"Go!"

Urged on by Zou Tianxing with dissatisfaction, his subordinates hurriedly went to fetch someone.

Wang Yulou planned to recruit all these capable people who had returned alive from the front lines into his own ranks.

He's too fond of eating alone and doesn't like to unite with his fellow disciples. I can't stand it, so I called you over."

Yan Kexin dismissed Zou Tianxing's nonsense and asked.

Why won't you accept it?

Zou Tianxing chuckled and asked in return.

"Where should we put them?"

Yan Kexin understood.

Even with a large number of Red Lantern disciples going to the front lines and some fourth-rank true disciples going to the front-line battlefield, good positions are still scarce within many factions of the sect.

Large-scale operations like those involving red-light districts are not lacking in capable individuals. Even seemingly incompetent figures like Yan Keyi and Jiang Baobian appeared quite capable before the pressure overwhelmed them.

Within the red light zone, a good position is the truly scarce resource. What good is merit if you're still an outsider?

Wang Yulou made it clear that if Zou Tianxing prevented those meritorious cultivators from taking up their posts, he would recruit them with slightly less prestigious positions.

Zou Tianxing faced a dilemma: he could use the relatively ordinary positions within the Zhuzhao Sect to recruit these frontline cultivators.

However, these cultivators who came from the front lines were protected and developed by that bastard Wang Yulou until they were able to return to their sect.

Will these people, whom the Zhuzhao Police Station has been supporting, turn out to be ungrateful in the future?

Those cultivators who managed to earn merit from the front lines and return alive to the Red Lantern Cult were one in a hundred, and every single one of them was intelligent.

There are many things that Wang Yuque has not done perfectly, but they understand that it is because there are situations that Wang Yuque is powerless to change.

In fact, Wang Yulou did much more good work.

Wang Yulou is a man of action; he does many things poorly, but he also does many things right. Humans are made of flesh and blood, and Zou Tianxing is wary of him.

Even if these people are extreme egoists, they can call on their mothers as long as Zou Tianxing or the Zhuzhao faction can provide them with benefits. But ultimately, they can't get the best benefits from the Zhuzhao faction—from outsiders.

Therefore, Zou Tianxing called Yan Kexin over.

Yan Keli has already opened his Purple Mansion; let Yan Keli and Wang Yulou fight it out!
"Senior Brother Tianxing, I understand the matter, but I still need to report it to my elder brother. What do you think?"

Zou Tianxing shook his head. He sensed that Yan Shi was somewhat timid, but he still spoke.

"Understood. I will continue to block them. Give me an answer within three days."

If all else fails, I'll have to send them to the contract trading center, or that damned Xishan Sect.
-
"Wang Yulou is a scoundrel, and Zou Tianxing is even worse!"

Master Keli has delivered a brilliant summary.

Wang Yulou, who seizes power and profits, is a rival of the Yan family. He is certainly not a good person, no matter how well he does.

As the sect leader, Zou Tianxing did nothing but try to instigate a fight between the Yan family and Wang Yulou. He's a terrible person.

At their level, the concept of good and evil used to discipline lower-level monks has gradually faded from the evaluation dimension of practical application, but it still occasionally plays a role—for example, when constructing the righteousness of self-choice.

Absolutely rational beings do not exist. Putting aside everything else, even several newly promoted Purple Mansions have to compete for favor in front of Xuan Zhuan, let alone in front of the Ancestor.
No one can survive in isolation if they want to move up in society.

Wang Yulou achieved his current status by relying on the Mangxiang faction, and his interests will inevitably affect other members of the faction.

Given this ebb and flow relationship, incremental growth is always difficult to achieve.

The changes brought about by Wang Yulou can certainly create some kind of incremental growth, but once the boundary of this incremental growth reaches a certain level, it will be suppressed by the strength of the individual cultivator.

Specifically, the incremental gains will eventually turn into existing assets, which is why internal strife is a perpetual phenomenon.

This is a spiral that's hard to break; if you want to achieve something, in the end, it all comes down to your cultivation level.

Current cultivation level, expected future cultivation level, borrowing the cultivation level of others—in short, strength.

With greater strength, many things become easier to handle.

From this perspective, the fact that Wang Yulou was hated is also a reflection of his gradual growth.

"Third Brother, should we accept it or not?"

Yan Keli answered without hesitation.

"Get him here, arrange for him to go to the West Sea. My elder brother is working as a steward at the Red Lantern West Sea Villa."

The four Yan brothers exemplify the virtues of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and trustworthiness, with Yan Keyi and Yan Keli being relatively more prominent.

Yan Keren and Yan Kexin are only passable, at a normal level of Foundation Establishment, not even true disciples, but they can still get decent positions.

After all, it was the best-developed vassal family within the Mangxiang lineage, within the sect.

"Zou Tianxing said he'd either be assigned to the Xishan Sect or the trading company. Is he waiting for us to give him some money?" Yan Kexin reminded him.

"No, Guo Baichi is no good. It's not a good thing for him to rise to power too quickly."

He doesn't have his own base of support, and he can't even protect his elder brother.

He seems to have the cultivation level of the Purple Mansion Realm, but he has no leverage to fight against Wang Yulou.

Zou Tianxing can only contact us. Go see him again in three days, act a little reluctantly, and maybe you can squeeze some money out of him.

Be meticulous about every penny!

After opening his Purple Mansion, Yan Keli realized why opening his Purple Mansion was so difficult.

Cultivation of cultivators in the Purple Mansion realm can be done without spirit stones, but to achieve better results and faster progress, more resources are needed.

The Mangxiang lineage has gained six new Purple Mansion cultivators, but the resources the patriarch provided for them are still the same as when they were in the Foundation Establishment stage.

They don't even have the opportunity to find a job and earn a salary.

There aren't that many lucrative positions for these latecomers to the Purple Mansion. The Patriarch's intention is for them to cultivate first.

They should cultivate for a hundred or two hundred years to improve their foundation, and then we can assign them positions after they attain the Golden Core stage.

Of course, whether there are any problems here, only God knows.

"Third Brother, the matter of someone stealing the Ancestral Master's Dao Fruit has been widely discussed within the sect. Do you have any information about what exactly happened?" Yan Kexin asked cautiously.

As Wang Yulou's token was sent from the Jade Palace to the Red Lantern Clan, the cultivators inside the Red Lantern Clan already knew what had happened.

"Don't think about these things, have faith in the patriarch!"

Yan Keli's expression was very serious. He was also curious, but he didn't dare to ask.

Asking would make it seem like I lack faith in the patriarch.

But to be honest, do I have confidence?
Yan Keli himself was unsure, but this lack of clarity itself indicated a lack of confidence.

After all, the one who dared to snatch the Mangxiang Dao Fruit was naturally at the peak of the Purple Mansion realm.

Which peak Purple Mansion cultivator is weak?
-
Half a day ago.

In the capital of Lingnan, 60,000 li away from Wunan, a grand prayer ceremony is being held.

Lingwai is part of the Immortal Kingdom. Its founder was Jia Ling, the Third Lord of Jialing, the Marquis of Lingwai in the Immortal Kingdom, and the Grand Master of the Purple Palace, with the title of King Lingxiao.

Jialing is one of the core forces within the Immortal Kingdom, with two Immortal Venerables and nineteen Purple Mansion disciples, totaling twenty-one feudal lords.

In the Immortal Kingdom, once a great cultivator opens his Purple Mansion, he can receive the title of a feudal lord, and once he attains the Golden Core, he becomes a feudal king.

For example, Jia Dongwei, the lord of Jialing, was honored as King Jia in the Immortal Kingdom.

Jia Lingxiao was the founder of Lingwai Foreign Land and was appointed as the Marquis of Lingwai.

Lingxiao King is the honorific title he is given by cultivators in the Immortal Kingdom, similar to calling Mangxiang Zhenren or Mangxiang Xianzun.

His strength was also at the peak of the Purple Mansion realm.

As the fiefdom of a Grand Master of the Purple Mansion, the area of ​​the Lingwai territory is a full twelve hundred miles in circumference, and the capital city is even more extensive, stretching for more than ten miles, truly a colossal city in the human world.

At this moment, a blessing ceremony for King Lingxiao was being held in the city, and it was quite a lively affair.

The sugar seller's face was covered in color, and his movements as he made the sugar figurines were more animated than before.

Peddlers carrying candied fruit and other fruits worked tirelessly, shouting their wares amidst the crowds that filled the streets.

Even the young ladies from wealthy families who rarely went out left their boudoirs to tour the bustling city under the guidance of their servants.

To pray for King Lingxiao's well-being, all the cultivators from outside Linghai gathered in the capital.

For ordinary merchants, even a small amount of money from a cultivator could cover their annual expenses, so they were naturally happy to work hard to run their businesses.

For those who don't engage in business, the gathering of cultivators from outside Lingnan in the capital presents a golden opportunity to encounter immortals, which explains the sight of wealthy young ladies strolling around.

In the wide open spaces of the city's streets, at intervals, there is a high platform; these platforms are called 'prayer platforms'.

The Qi Refining and Qi Induction cultivators who had gathered in the capital from all over the Lingnan region sat on different platforms to pray for King Lingxiao.

The number of cultivators was so large that the prayer altars filled the streets and alleys of the capital to accommodate them.

Unlike the mindless excitement of ordinary people, the cultivators from Lingnan Foreign Lands certainly 'knew' why they had come.

King Lingxiao has cultivated a new Dharma, which requires the help of the vows of all beings to break through the barriers, hence today's grand gathering.

Inside Lingxiao Palace, the capital palace of Lingwai Kingdom, more than two thousand Foundation Establishment Dukes and Ministers from Lingwai Kingdom and its two vassal states also participated in the prayer ceremony.

They were all dressed in the official robes of Lingwai, Cheshan, and Minjiang, with solemn expressions. They sat on the ground in a square within the deep palace compound, praying for blessings under the guidance of Marquis Minjiang, the second disciple of King Lingxiao.

King Lingxiao had two disciples: the eldest, Marquis Cheshan, and the second, Marquis Minjiang, both of whom were also great cultivators of the Purple Mansion realm.

Looking down from the sky, the two thousand-plus Foundation Establishment cultivators formed a huge circle, with a purple wooden statue at the center of the circle.

The wooden statue is a depiction of the Lingxiao King.

The sounds of prayers, emanating from the mouths of hundreds of thousands of cultivators, converged in the sky above the capital, transforming into a magnificent and vast Dharma sound.

Every monk who participated in the prayer felt a surge of excitement as they witnessed history.

Such a grand prayer ceremony could only be held under the rule of King Lingxiao, right?

How far can such a Dharma assembly push King Lingxiao?

For example, becoming a Golden Core cultivator?
Everyone is looking forward to that moment of destiny that is closely related to their own.

They fantasized that when the Lingxiao King became the true Lingxiao King, they could follow that newly born immortal king and gain something, or at least witness something.

However, in the true Nine Heavens, at the summit of Jialing, which is placed within the cave heaven.

Jia Ling's founder, Jia Dongwei, appears to be an elderly man in his eighties, dressed in a simple black robe. Incongruous with his aged appearance, Jia Dongwei has a pair of eyes that seem to see through everything.

At this moment, those eyes were fixed on Jia Lingxiao in front of them, as if they could see his future failure.

“Mangxiang visited the Immortal King's Palace, and Shunmu even received him.”

If you try to steal the Dao Fruit from the Savage Elephant, you might not succeed, and you might even be stopped by the Immortal King's people.

Moreover, heavenly tribulations are not to be trifled with. You still have a long lifespan; there's no need to take the risk.

Jia Lingxiao was a tall, imposing man with a dignified appearance.

Just like his name suggests, he seems to possess a soaring spirit.

With just a slight movement of his chest and the opening of his mouth, he exuded an ambition that could encompass a thousand miles.

"Master, those who pursue the Dao will never regret it, even if they die nine times!"

(End of this chapter)